Attendance and Absence Policy
Unplanned absence disrupts rotas, increases costs, and erodes team morale. A clear attendance and absence policy removes ambiguity and gives every manager a consistent framework to follow.
This guide helps you create that video. It covers what to include, how to structure your recording, and the questions your team will ask after watching it.
Key Takeaways
- Define your reporting process: Open your video by explaining exactly who employees contact, by when, and how — so every team member follows the same procedure from day one
- Walk through return-to-work conversations: Explain that a brief, supportive conversation happens after every absence, what it covers, and why it matters for both the employee and the team
- Cover your trigger points: Set out the thresholds that prompt a formal review so employees understand the rules before they ever reach them
- Explain how you handle long-term absence: Describe how welfare contact, medical input, and return-to-work planning work when someone is off for an extended period
- Emphasise documentation: Make clear that every absence notification, return-to-work discussion, and formal review is recorded — protecting both employer and employee
Article Content
Why your team needs this policy
The financial impact of unmanaged absence is significant. Understaffed shifts, overtime costs, and burned-out employees covering for absent colleagues all hit the bottom line. Beyond the financial cost, inconsistent absence management breeds unfairness. If one manager lets frequent short absences slide while another issues warnings for the same pattern, employees notice. That inconsistency damages trust, creates grievances, and weakens your position if you ever need to take formal action.
A well-communicated attendance and absence policy removes ambiguity. It tells employees how to report absence, what happens when they return, and at what point repeated absence triggers a formal review.
What to cover in your policy video
Explain exactly how employees report an absence. Specify who they contact, by when, and how — whether that is a phone call, app notification, or text. State a time, such as one hour before their scheduled start. Require direct contact with a manager rather than texting a colleague or posting in a group chat. For ongoing absences, explain whether employees must call in each day or only when the expected return date changes. Cover different scenarios too — planned medical appointments, emergency absences, and absences starting mid-shift.
Walk through how return-to-work conversations work. These happen after every absence, without exception. They are not disciplinary — they are a chance to welcome someone back, check they are fit to work, and identify any support needed. Explain that a standard template is used for consistency, covering the reason for absence, whether the employee is fully fit, any adjustments needed, and whether the absence triggers a policy threshold. Make clear that these conversations are brief and supportive — five to ten minutes — and that they are documented.
Cover your trigger points and what happens when they are reached. Explain the thresholds that prompt a formal review — for example, a certain number of separate absences in a rolling twelve-month period, or a total number of days. Make clear that hitting a trigger prompts a review meeting, not an automatic sanction — the meeting may reveal legitimate reasons that make formal action inappropriate.
Explain how you track and respond to absence patterns. Describe how you look for absences clustered around weekends, holidays, or specific shifts, and that pattern analysis helps distinguish between genuine illness and avoidable absence without making assumptions. Emphasise that data rather than gut feeling drives the process.
Cover the difference between short-term and long-term absence. Short-term absence is managed through triggers and return-to-work conversations. Long-term absence requires medical input, regular welfare contact, and potential adjustments. Explain that welfare contact during long-term absence is regular and supportive, and that the frequency and method are agreed with the employee.
Make clear that every step is documented. Records are kept of every absence notification, return-to-work discussion, and formal review. These records are stored securely because they contain sensitive health information, and access is restricted to those who need it.
How to structure your video
Keep it under five minutes. Attendance and absence is a process-heavy topic. Aim for three to five minutes that cover the essentials — reporting, return-to-work, and triggers. Staff can revisit the video if they need a refresher on the detail.
Have the right person present. This should come from whoever manages day-to-day attendance — usually the general manager or operations manager. Hearing the policy from the person who conducts return-to-work conversations gives it more credibility than a generic HR script.
Use a clear sequence. Open with how to report an absence ("If you\u2019re unwell, here\u2019s exactly what to do"). Then explain what happens when you return. Then cover what happens if absences become frequent. Close by reassuring staff that the process is there to support them, not to catch them out.
Show your reporting tool. If your team uses an app or system to notify absences, screen-record the process and include it. Showing someone how to report an absence takes thirty seconds and eliminates confusion on the day.
Be direct about expectations without being punitive. The tone matters. Staff should leave the video knowing exactly what to do if they\u2019re unwell, confident that they\u2019ll be treated fairly, and clear that the policy applies equally to everyone.
Common questions your team will ask
After watching your video, these are the questions that will come up. Anticipate them in your recording or be ready to answer them via messaging:
- \u201cWho do I call if my manager isn\u2019t available?\u201d \u2014 Name a backup contact in your video so employees are never unsure who to reach.
- \u201cDo I need a doctor\u2019s note?\u201d \u2014 Explain your rules for when medical evidence is required and after how many days. Check the rules for your location before setting this.
- \u201cWhat counts as a separate absence?\u201d \u2014 Define this clearly. A common approach is that each unbroken period of absence counts as one spell, regardless of how many days it lasts.
- \u201cWill I get paid if I\u2019m off sick?\u201d \u2014 Explain your sick pay arrangements and how they relate to the statutory minimum for your location.
- \u201cWhat if I have a long-term health condition?\u201d \u2014 Reassure staff that adjustments to triggers and support arrangements are available, and explain how to discuss this confidentially.
- \u201cDoes a medical appointment count as absence?\u201d \u2014 State your policy on planned medical appointments — whether they should be arranged outside working hours where possible and how to request time off for them.
- \u201cWhat happens if I\u2019m off sick during a holiday I\u2019ve booked?\u201d \u2014 Explain your process for reclaiming leave when sickness overlaps with planned time off, and check the rules for your jurisdiction.
Official guidance
The rules on attendance and absence vary by location. Before recording your video, check the official guidance for your jurisdiction:
| Location | Source |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Statutory Sick Pay — GOV.UK |
| European Union | Framework Directive on Safety and Health at Work — EUR-Lex |
| United States | Family and Medical Leave Act — U.S. Department of Labor |
| Canada | Medical leave — Canada.ca |
| Australia | Personal/carer's leave — Fair Work Ombudsman |
How Pilla helps
Pilla turns your attendance and absence policy into a living part of your employee handbook:
- Record your policy video — Film a short video explaining your attendance and absence policy, what employees need to know, and how it works in your organisation. Staff watch on their phone, and you track who has seen it.
- Onboarding integration — Include the attendance and absence policy as part of your onboarding checklist, so every new starter acknowledges it during induction.
- Policy updates — When your policy changes, push the updated video to all staff and track who has watched the new version.
- Audit trail — Every video view, policy acknowledgement, and onboarding completion is recorded with timestamps, ready for any compliance review.
- Messaging — Use in-app messaging to answer questions about attendance and absence directly, keeping sensitive conversations out of group chats.